In this reflective poem the speaker urges a young listener to grow not just in years but in spirit, drawing on his own experience of building grand things that ultimately lacked lasting meaning; he recounts sending his son to war without knowing why and then offers counsel: be honest with yourself even if the world shifts, hold firm when compromise is tempting, let your inner fire light new worlds, read widely, ask questions, learn from failures, and seek greatness in quiet deedsâlistening, lifting others, and making kind empires rather than flags.






















